Allison coleman



(No Model.)

A. COLEMAN.

TYPE.

'Patented Sept.l 2 0, 1892.

l w E fc f/ L E @Ww ...M /w E l l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLrsoN COLEMAN, or HENRIETTA, TExAs.

TYPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,784, dated September 20, 1892.

Application tiled June 11, 1891. v Serial No. 395,908. (No Specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLisoN COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Henrietta, in the county of Clay and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Type, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to printing, and more especially to the type used therein; and the object of the same is to provide a substitute for the large wood type now extensively used on poster and other large work.

To this end theinvention consists in a typeface and a type-base each of metal and of the construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective section of three type mounted on a type-base, all of my improved construction. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are transverse sections showing the embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter F designates the type-face, having the usual nickN along its front edge. Depending from the back of this face is a dovetailed projection D, and also a semi-dovetailed or outwardly-inclined projection I, both extending across the back of the face7 the former preferably near the front and the latter near the back edge of the type, as shown. Aside from these projections the back of the face is preferably plain, except the curved guide portion C, which leads from the central plain portion P downwardly to the rear face of the inclined projection I. The entire type-face is of metal and in one piece, being preferably cast of type-metal at a single operation, and it may or may not be copper-faced or otherwise treated to render it durable, as desired.

The letter B designates, broadly, the base of this improved type, which comprises strips l, 2, and 3, as shown. The strip l has its upper face so shaped with an acute-angled groove A that it embraces the lower corner of the dovetailed projection D, while each of theotherstripshas an exactly-opposite shaped acute-angled groove O, whereby they respectively embrace the back corner of said dovetailed projection and the corner of the inclined projection I.

The letters L andl designate leads or other furniture and form the complementary por tion of the base B, and all of said base is preferably of metal. By making the parts of this improved type entirely of metal their expansion and contraction under the intluences of the liquids applied thereto and the Subscquent drying, as well as their liability to warp or to become crushed or season-cracked is avoided, and one of the principal objects of my invention is thereby attained*viz., the making of large-sized type entirely of metal. This has been hitherto impracticable, owing to the expense of such metal and the great weight it possesses and storage-room it requires in the type cases.

With a type constructed as above described the operation and uses of the same will be as follows: It is to be understood that the typefaces are in height a certain number of pica ems, or of points, if the point system be used, and that the several members of the bases are also similarly cast with respect to their thickness, being preferably cut into labor-saving lengths, as is customary with furniture, leads, and borders. InFig. 2 an eight-em type-face is shown mounted on a base composed of the three two-em members 1, 2, and 3, between which are arranged or located two leads, each one em in thickness, and this makes up the eight ems to correspond with the face. In Fig. 3 is shown a ten-em face mounted on a ten-em base and in Fig. 4. a twelve-em face on a base of equal size. In Fig. 5 is shown a slightly-diierent arrangement-that is to say, the dovetailed projection in this case is as narrow as it is in Fig. 2, so that only a single em lead Z is necessary between the basesections 1 and 2,whereas the inclined proj ection I is considerably elongated, so that more furniture is necessary between the sections2 and 3. It will be seen that the base-sections are exact duplicates of each other; but the lower one :is turned, so that its groove A faces upwardly or toward the top of the type,while the grooves in the other sections face downwardly.

In setting type of this improved construction the base-section 3 is first put into the stick and then the leads, which interpose between the sections 3 and 2. The leads that are necessary for usel here may be indicated by a small numeral stamped in the rear face of the projection I or by any other suitable IOC) means. The basesecton 2 is next `put in'to the stick, and then the leads between the sections 2 and 1, the thickness of these leads being also designated by a similar means. The i type-faces are then brought into place, as

shown in the drawings, and the line is set in,

the stick, the words being separated'by spaces of a construction similar to the type-faces, ex-

cept that they rise only to the dotted line 1in` Eig. 4, and hence do not print. After the line has been set and the letters adjusted by spacing to the proper tightness in the'stick 1` the base-section 1 is applied. Itwill thus beI seen that the disposition df the curved glide` line C permits the two upwardlyinclined faces to engage the twodownwardly-op'ening angles in the base-sections 2 and 3 siniilltane` ously, while the opposite angle A inthe base, section 1 isapplied later.

AWith the ordinary dovetailed connection between type-faces and their bases,-or between.: stereotype-plates and theirl bases,as hereto-` e fore used, the diiculty arose with very large;` faces or plates that there were only two points' of connection between the faces and the bases-viz., the angles at each side of the dovef tailed proj eetion.

It will be understood that with bases of thev above construction newspaper publisherscan accept faces for advertisements and reading matter from customers or correspondents liv ing at a distant point, and the customerswill thus be saved considerable in the item of post-` age, while the publishers will have a strong metalibas'e cutfor advertisement and not subject to warping, as heretofore.

What is claimed as new isrlhe combination of typefaces of various sizes having dovetailed projections across their-:backs adjacent to the front nicked edges,

semi-dovetailed outwardly-inclined projec- "ti'ons across the back of the face near the back edge and parallel with the adjacent angle or edge of the dovetail, and a guide-curve lleading from the said-adjacent dovetail angle downwardly to the rear face of the inclined projection, a "base consisting of duplicate and independent sections, each having an acute auglegrooveyengaging the dovetail angle edgesvan-d said inclined projections, the front y baselsectionhavingits engaging angle alone jsfacingawayfrom the nicked edge, while'the anglesof the other basesections face toward said nicked edge and =bytl1e disposition of theftype-face curve are adapted to-be engaged Jhsimiiltaneouslyby the `inner angle edges of f thedovetail projectionsand theinclined projeetions, andleads'between saidsections, su hstantially as setA forth.

In testimony Vthat Iclaim the foregoing as lmy own `I have hereto affixed my signature in i presence of two witnesses.

ALLISON COLEMAN.

'Witnessesz CYRUs COLEMAN, J oHN CLARY. 

